Vectorman
|genre = Platform |modes = Single-player |platforms = Sega Genesis }} Vectorman is a run and gun platform game developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was released in October 1995,Sega begins 24-hour countdown to "Vectormania" and has since appeared on several game compilations, including the Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, the Sonic Gems Collection for the Nintendo GameCube, and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Vectorman was added to the Wii Virtual Console in 2007, on Steam as part of the Sega Genesis Classics Pack, and as part of the Sega Forever service in 2018. Story In 2049, the human population of Earth embarks on a migratory voyage to try to colonize other planets. They leave mechanical "orbots" to clean up the mess they made on Earth through littering and pollution. Raster, a high-level orbot who watches Earth through a planetwide computer network, is accidentally attached to a working nuclear missile by a lesser orbot and goes insane, becoming an evil dictator named Warhead. He declares himself ruler of Earth, and begins preparing to execute any humans who dare return to their planet. Enter Vectorman, a humble orbot in charge of cleaning up toxic sludge by simply discharging it into the sun. As he lands on Earth after his last trip, he finds chaos and confusion. Because all the other Orbots are controlled by Warhead (Vectorman having not been affected because he was away), Vectorman takes it upon himself to destroy the errant orbot and restore peace to Earth. Graphics and gameplay Vectorman uses pre-rendered 3D models in its level and character designs. This gives the game a smooth, computer-generated feel. The original name of the villain, Warhead, was Raster (as in raster graphics, the opposite of vector graphics). Vectorman was considered the answer to Nintendo's Donkey Kong Country at the time, as they both used graphical tricks to show graphics beyond what the console was thought capable of. The game itself is a straightforward 2D action platformer. Vectorman is an "orbot" (a robot whose body is composed entirely of orbs) powered with a ball gun in his hand; powerups include a machine gun, "bolo" gun, and triple-fire guns. Vectorman possesses the ability to transform, through the use of powerups, into several different forms: including a drill, to cut through floors; a bomb, to destroy all surrounding enemies or breakable walls; and an aquatic form, useful for swimming underwater. In addition to powerup transformations, three levels host unique morphed forms with which to combat bosses in. Overall, the game consists of 16 levels. "Play to Win" contest Sega held a "Play to Win" promotion offering Vectorman players a chance to win $25,000 as well as numerous other prizes, including several $10,000 prizes, and free Sega Saturn consoles. Upon completing the game (without using cheat codes), select Vectorman cartridges would display a flashing "You Win!" message with a special phone number where the player could call in and register as a winner. 12- year old "Keola" Kaula of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was the winner of the grand prize, which included $25,000, a VIP tour of Sega headquarters, and a starring role in a Sega TV commercial.January 12, 1996 12-year-old gamer wins $25,000 cash grand prize in Sega's videogame contest; more than 90 other prizes yet to be won Development Vectorman introduced a new Genesis programming technique referred to by Sega as Vector Piece Animation. The player character's body actually consists of 23 individual sprites programmed to move in unison. Reception The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the first Vectorman a score of 8.25 out of 10, unanimously praising the advanced graphics and animation, large levels with numerous hidden areas, strong audio, and ability to change into different forms. GamePro s Scary Larry gave it a rave review, stating that "your jaw will hang open in amazement at what Vectorman does with the 16-bit Genesis engine. This platform game comes on with great guns, a morphing hero, and diverse, well-detailed levels." He also praised the simple controls, advanced graphics, and sound effects, and scored it a 5/5 in graphics, control, and FunFactor and a 4.5/5 in sound. Both Electronic Gaming Monthly and GamePro awarded it Best Genesis Game of 1995. Electronic Gaming Monthly gave Vectorman 2 a 7.25 out of 10. Shawn Smith, Dan Hsu, and Crispin Boyer applauded its traditional side-scrolling gameplay, huge levels, graphics, and animation, especially on the bosses. Sushi-X, in contrast, said that the levels are surprisingly small, making it a disappointment compared to the first game. Scary Larry gave it a 4.5/5 in graphics and a 5/5 in every other category. He said that compared to the first game, it "has cleaner graphics, more sound and voice effects, and faster, smoother gameplay. Add to this spectacular and complex levels, and you have the makings of a Sega classic." Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it Genesis Game of the Year. Other Vectorman projects A design document was completed for a third Vectorman title in the series which would have appeared on the Sega Saturn, but BlueSky Software's relationship with Sega ended before the proposal could be reviewed or green-lit. In 2000, six former BlueSky employees formed a new company called VBlank Software to create original titles for the PlayStation 2. One of the projects they created was a demo for a new 3D Vectorman game which would have featured the character on an alien planet with new transformations. However, Sega had already established a relationship with Canadian developer Pseudo Interactive to create a Vectorman title that was based around a more traditional combat model and had a more serious tone. VBlank Software never got to present its demo and Sega canceled Pseudo Interactive's Vectorman title after it was briefly shown at the 2003 E3. References Category:1995 video games Category:BlueSky Software games Category:2043 in fiction Category:Mobile games Category:Robot video games Category:Run and gun games Category:Science fiction video games Category:Sega Genesis games Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games with 2.5D graphics Category:Video games with pre-rendered 3D graphics Category:Virtual Console games Category:Vectorman